Student & Family Handbook
2026 - 2027
Addendum to the District’s
“Students' Rights & Responsibilities”
Handbook & Discipline Policy
2000 College Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225) 926-5421 Fax: (225) 926-9885
Website: westdaleheights.com
Email: wham@ebrschools.org
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Dear Students and Families,
On behalf of the incredible faculty and staff of Westdale Heights Academic Magnet (WHAM), it is with great joy and enthusiasm that I welcome you to a brand new school year! It is both an honor and a true privilege to serve as your principal, and I am excited to begin this journey of growth, discovery, and possibility with each of you.
At WHAM, we believe that every student and family brings something unique and powerful to our community. Your talents, voices, and dedication are the heartbeat of our school. Together, we will continue to build a culture where excellence is expected, respect is lived, and personal growth is celebrated every single day.
This student handbook is more than a list of policies—it’s a roadmap to a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. It complements the district’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, and we encourage you to take time as a family to review both resources together.
To our new families, welcome to something special. To our returning families, welcome home. Thank you for choosing the East Baton Rouge Parish School System and for making WHAM your educational home. I am filled with pride and anticipation as we begin another extraordinary year—one filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and shine.
Here’s to a year of magic, momentum, and meaningful moments.
With heartfelt excitement,
Dr. Nathan Hite
Principal
*Please sign the acknowledgment form on the back of the Emergency Information Card.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAM UNIFORM/DRESS CODE GUIDELINES 2026-2027 6
LOSS OF A BOOK OR DAMAGES TO SCHOOL PROPERTY 12
PARENTS & VISITORS ON CAMPUS 13
EBRPSS INTERNET SAFETY AND USAGE POLICY 15
MEASURING OUR STUDENTS’ PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 16
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS 17
WHAM PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO) 17
PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY 18
UPDATED STUDENT INFORMATION
It is important to ensure your child’s WHAM Student Emergency Information Card is accurate. We use this card to contact parents throughout the school year. Incorrect phone numbers could delay or prevent us from being able to contact you in the event of an emergency with your child.
Email Address: In addition, the email address listed on the Emergency Card will be used for notifications through our school messenger system. Please make sure your email address is kept current.
SCHOOL SCHEDULE
8:00 A.M. Students Arrive/Breakfast Begins. Breakfast service ends at 8:25 a.m. (*PLEASE NOTE: If your child arrives on a late bus, they will be offered breakfast.)
8:30 A.M. Carpool ENDS at this time. Students who arrive on campus after this time must be checked in by parents in the office.
8:30 A.M. The tardy bell rings. (NOTE: Students must be in class by 8:30 a.m. and ready to work to not be considered tardy.)
- Students arriving in class after 8:30 a.m. must come to the office with a parent/guardian to be signed in and get a TARDY slip for the teacher.
- The ONLY tardies that are EXCUSED are for medical appointments, which must be supported with written documentation on official letterhead from the doctor or dentist, and bus transportation issues not student-related (bus breakdown or late pickup).
2:45 P.M. Early check-out ends. (OR 12:00 on Early Dismissal Days) NO students may be checked out after this time.
3:25 P.M. Dismissal begins. (OR 12:45 p.m. on Early Dismissal Days)
3:40 P.M. Dismissal ends/Teacher Work Day Ends. All students not participating in Extended Day must be picked up by 3:40 P.M. Students remaining on campus after 3:40 P.M. will be sent to Extended Day, and a fee of $10 per child will be assessed. (Offenders of this policy may be reported to Child Welfare and Attendance after the third late pick-up.)
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED CARPOOL INFORMATION/MAPS
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Please check our website at www.westdaleheights.com weekly during the school year to view important school information.
SCHOOL INFO APP
WHAM uses the EBR Mobile App to send out important information to parents. Please install the EBR Mobile App to stay informed about WHAM school events and information.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APP AND FOLLOW WHAM
SCHOOL MESSAGING SYSTEM
WHAM also regularly notifies parents through email and occasionally by phone. You will receive a Student Information Sheet in backpack mail during the first week of school. Please verify your contact information to ensure your home phone, cell phone, email, and home address are all current and accurate, and return the form to your child’s teacher.
GRADING POLICIES
The current East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Grading Scale, which went into effect in 2024, is as follows:
Letter Grade Percentage Quality Points
A 100 - 90% 4
B 89 - 80% 3
C 79 - 70% 2
D 69 - 60% 1
F 59% and below 0
- Per the EBR Magnet Contract, elementary students must pass the grade level in order to maintain magnet status. In accordance with the EBR Schools Pupil Progression Plan, elementary students must earn four quality points in ELA, Math, and either Science or Social Studies. In addition, students may not earn consecutive Fs in the third and fourth nine weeks in the same subject.
- If your child is in academic jeopardy, you will be notified by our Magnet Site Coordinator, Ms. Moss.
- Students in grades 3-5 must maintain a 2.5-grade point cumulative average to meet middle and high school magnet criteria.
Please visit EBRPSS Magnet Website at https://www.ebrmagnet.org/ for up-to-date middle and high school application and admission requirements.
WHAM UNIFORM/DRESS CODE GUIDELINES 2026-2027
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has adopted a uniform policy for all elementary school students. WHAM students shall be in compliance with the uniform policy.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL WHAM UNIFORM/DRESS CODE POLICY ALONG WITH SAMPLE IMAGES OF UNIFORMS
**Please put your child's FIRST AND LAST name in ALL his/her coats, sweaters, etc. Each year we have an overflowing “Lost and Found” box full of unclaimed clothing.**
STUDENT PROGRESS CENTER
JCampus Student Progress Center (SPC) is a system that allows parents to view their student’s school information. SPC updates student data activity as it happens, enabling students and parents to track progress and prepare for success.
To access SPC go to https://ebr.edgear.net/progress. You will be prompted to create a new account or sign in (if you have an existing account). A Parent Security Number (PSN) is required to set up a new account. WHAM will provide this information to parents within the first month of school.
You can also find detailed instructions for the SPC system on our website under Parent Resources, Student Progress Center.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Please have your child in school on time every day. We cannot teach a child who is not here, and tardy students interrupt the entire class. Remember it is often impossible for a student to make up the learning experiences provided at school.
The BESE-approved policy on student attendance was revised in February 2026 and can be found on page 38 of the document. (https://bese.louisiana.gov/docs/default-source/policy-page/28v115-(2).pdf). The policy states that students must meet the required time amounts to receive credit for the class. This means students must be present at least 94 percent of the time—at least 167 days, or the equivalent of 60,120 minutes per school year. Students can only be absent ten (10) days per school year. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
ABSENCES
There are three types of absences a student may obtain: excused, unexcused, and suspension/expulsion. Only excused absences will not be counted against students when determining whether a student meets attendance requirements. Acceptable absences are typically verified by a doctor or medical professional, or the absences are those that allow the student to celebrate special holidays in observance of his or her own faith, and death in the student’s immediate family. Students who participate in school-approved field trips or other instructional activities that necessitate being away from school will be considered present and will be given the opportunity to make up all missed work.
Please keep in mind that if your child checks out of school before 11:30 a.m. or into school after 11:30 a.m., he/she will be considered absent for the entire day. This District Policy will be strictly enforced.
When your child is absent, you need to send a note from a physician or a parent stating the reason for the absence within five school days of the student’s return. Remember, only acceptable absences will be excused.
Pre-Kindergarten students' participation in the Pre-K program could become jeopardized if they experience excessive absences or early checkouts.
MAKE-UP WORK FOLLOWING ABSENCE
A student who is absent, including a suspended student, shall be allowed to submit missed assignments and tests, and shall be eligible to receive the same academic credit and grades originally available when work is completed satisfactorily and in a timely manner. The student and/or parents may request make-up work.
TARDY POLICY
A STUDENT WHO ARRIVES LATE MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT TO THE OFFICE FOR A TARDY SLIP. It is very important that your child is at school every day on time. Remember, you are establishing a child’s pattern for his/her lifetime.
CHECKING OUT OF SCHOOL
Please make it a priority NOT to check your child out early from school often. We cannot teach the child if he/she is not at school, and teachers plan for every minute of the day. Most activities involve class experiences that cannot be made up at home (classwork cannot be sent as homework).
Any child leaving early or arriving late must be signed out/in at the office, which will count against their perfect attendance.
Early checkouts will not be permitted after 2:45 p.m. because teachers are reviewing assignments, helping students organize and pack books, and because of additional congestion in the office area and hallways.
If a child is too ill to stay in the classroom, the office will call the parents to come for him/her. It is very important to keep all phone numbers current on your child’s WHAM Emergency Information Card.
DISMISSAL
Regular Dismissal Procedures
3:25 P.M. Bus, Carpool, & Walker Dismissal Begin
3:40 P.M. Dismissal Ends (Teachers are off duty)
3:41 P.M. Extended Day Dismissal Begins
NOTE: For safety reasons, all carpoolers must be dropped off & picked up from the carpool lane and NEVER on the street in front of the school or on ANY of the surrounding streets.
**Parents, please DO NOT walk to the office to get your child during afternoon dismissal. Students will NOT be dismissed through the office. You must be in the carpool line with your assigned carpool TAG displayed.
WHAM CARPOOL
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED CARPOOL INFORMATION/MAPS
STUDENTS DISMISSED AS WALKERS
WHAM Walkers are identified as students who are NOT assigned a bus route due to proximity to the school.
GENERAL CARPOOL INFORMATION
Each student will be issued a CARPOOL NUMBER which must be visible during pickup. Please keep the carpool number displayed until your child is in your car and you have exited the carpool line. Each student or family group will be issued 2 sets of tags (original on cardstock) showing their assigned CARPOOL NUMBER. Because we care about each child’s well-being, we will only release a student to persons displaying this official TAG in the vehicle. You may photocopy the TAG, but the carpool number cannot be handwritten on a piece of paper to pick up a child.
Please inform anyone you send to pick your child up from the carpool of these rules and provide them with a carpool TAG. Without an official TAG, we ask that you park in the parking lot and come to the office with a photo ID to retrieve your child.
To make this easy, efficient, and stress-free for every person, we ask that you are courteous and considerate of the other parents. Please pay attention to school faculty and staff who will be directing cars during carpool to keep the line moving. If it is necessary to buckle in your child, pulling around to the parking area is ideal to avoid delays.
CELL PHONE Usage in a School Zone
Please remember it is now ILLEGAL to use a hand-held cell phone in a school zone; this includes the carpool line.
SMOKING, VAPING & TOBACCO USE
WHAM is a SMOKE-FREE ZONE. Please refrain from smoking or vaping on school property. This includes the carpool line.
TRANSPORTATION
IMPORTANT: A signed note from the parent or an email to wham@ebrschools.org MUST be sent to change a student's transportation home. |
This note is to be sent to their homeroom teacher, and it will then be sent to the office to be recorded for dismissal. Please try to send your child home in a consistent/expected manner each day. Last-minute transportation changes are disruptive and unsettling to some children.
If a change in transportation is required after the school day has begun, please FAX (225-926-9885) or email (wham@ebrschools.org) the request to the office BEFORE 2:00 P.M. Requests received late make it difficult for the faculty to dismiss students in an orderly manner. The request must be signed by the parent and include the child’s name, homeroom teacher, and requested mode of dismissal. Telephone calls WILL NOT be accepted!
If you would like your child to ride the bus some days and carpool him/her on other days, please send a note to the teacher clearly explaining how this works. We will not make changes based on phone calls every week. It can be very confusing to both teacher and child! If it is unclear how your child is getting home on a particular day, we will NOT send the child home on the bus. A parent will need to come pick up their child.
ALTERNATE DISMISSAL METHOD (through CARPOOL only)
If you would like your child to go home with a friend, you MUST send a note to the school permitting your child to go home with a friend. We must also have a note from the other parent accepting responsibility for your child.
LATE PICKUP
Students who either miss the bus OR are not picked up in the carpool by 3:40 p.m. will be sent to the gymnasium for Extended Day. Parents will be required to park and enter the gym to sign out their student for the day. Do not block the bus lane for late pickup. A fee of $10 per child will be assessed. (Offenders of this policy may be reported to Child Welfare and Attendance after the third late pick-up.)
EMERGENCIES
WHAM has a Crisis & Disaster Plan. As in past years, we will practice proper emergency procedures with the students to prepare them in case of fire, tornado, hurricane, or other disasters. Your child’s safety is our number one priority!
Parents should:
1. Return the WHAM Emergency Information Card to the school ASAP.
2. Talk with your child beforehand about what he/she should do during an emergency “early dismissal.”
3. Tune in to a local radio or television station for information during an emergency – including school closure.
4. Call your neighbor who has volunteered to keep your child during an emergency.
5. Call the school if you cannot find your neighbor or child to determine if the child has been sent to an
emergency shelter.
DISTRICT ILLNESS POLICY
Your child will be excluded (cannot attend) from school for the following reasons:
- Vomiting or diarrhea: Your child should remain at home until he/she has not vomited or had diarrhea for 24 hours without medication.
- Fever above 100 degrees F: Your child should remain at home until he/she has been free of fever for 24 hours without medication.
- Nasal Discharge for more than 3 days. (If allergy-related, must provide documentation from the physician that it is not contagious.)
- Persistent cough for more than 2-3 days. (If asthma-related, you must provide documentation from a physician.)
- Rashes: Any pink, red, or bluish-purple rash OR bumps and blisters (chicken pox).
- Pink Eye: Must provide documentation from a physician that the child is being treated with medication. (If eye itching and redness are allergy-related, must also provide documentation from a physician.)
- Lice: The child must remain home until treated, and no live lice are present.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
A student checked out early from school with FEVER, DIARRHEA, and/or VOMITING MAY NOT return to school the next day. The student must be symptom-free for 24 hours.
MEDICATION POLICY
See District Policy in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for more information on the district's medication policy:
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION
Prescription medications can only be administered at school once it is certified in writing by the attending physician and appropriate forms have been completed.
OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS
Students may NOT have over-the-counter medications in their possession on school grounds. This includes Tylenol, Orajel, Benadryl, and itch cream.
STUDENT ACCIDENTS
All student accidents will be reported on the official Student Accident Report and filed with our Risk Management Department. Parents will be notified of any accident requiring medical assistance from a healthcare worker.
LOSS OF A BOOK OR DAMAGES TO SCHOOL PROPERTY
Parents will be responsible for paying for any lost or damaged textbooks, library books, Chromebooks, or other damages to school property. At the beginning of the school year, please examine your child’s textbooks closely and report any damage to the office to avoid being charged for it later.
STUDENT PERSONAL PROPERTY
We do not encourage students to bring extra clothing, handbags, books, jewelry, musical instruments, or computer games because they are not covered by the school system’s insurance. Any losses should be reported to law enforcement. Claimant recourse for loss of this type would be against the perpetrator, not the school system.
If a student is distracted by or allows personal items to interfere with the learning process, they will be taken away from the student and retrieved from the front office by a parent. For this reason, a student should not bring toys, radios, trading cards, comic books, playground equipment (including balls and jump ropes), items to sell, or unnecessary money to school without prior approval from the principal.
According to section 1. R.S. 17:239(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
(2)(a) Effective beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and thereafter, no student shall possess, on his person, an electronic telecommunication device throughout the instructional day. If a student brings an electronic telecommunication device in any public elementary or secondary school building or on the grounds thereof during an instructional day, the electronic device shall either be turned off and properly stowed away for the duration of the instructional day or prohibited from being turned on and used during the instructional day.
PARENTS & VISITORS ON CAMPUS
For the safety of our students, we must always know who is on the school grounds; therefore, all visitors MUST check in with the office and observe the following rules while visiting our school. (This is an EBRP School Board Policy.)
▪ Sign in on the School Check-In computer and get a yellow visitor's pass.
▪ Visitors are NOT allowed to observe classroom instruction and/or pop into a classroom for a quick word with the teacher. Please schedule a conference time.
▪ Upon completion of your visit, please check out in the office.
▪ Visitors are NOT allowed to park in front of the school unless you go no further than the office for a short
period. You must use the school parking lot.
▪ Visitors are NOT allowed to enter the school through the gym and/or cafeteria or any gates or fences (unless specified for a school event). Please enter the school through the office and obtain a visitor's tag.
NOTE: Visitors not appropriately dressed will not be allowed to enter classrooms or remain on school grounds.
CONFERENCES
- To schedule a conference: please notify (note, email, or phone) the teachers(s) you wish for a conference and/or meeting. The teacher will schedule a time before school, after school, or during planning time.
- Arriving for a conference: Please be on time for your conference and check in as a visitor in the office. The secretary will inform you when you can proceed to the classroom.
- Arriving LATE for a conference: On many occasions, conferences are scheduled back-to-back. If you arrive late, the teacher may need to reschedule your conference for another time and/or day.
NOTE: Teachers are NOT available for “drop-in” or “spur of the moment” conversations with parents during instruction. This time is devoted to teaching and learning.
FIELD TRIP POLICY
- Students must have an EBRP field trip permission form signed by a parent or guardian to participate in a school field trip.
- Students must ride the bus to and from all school field trips.
- Students missing school and attending field trips other than those planned specifically for their class shall be reported to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.
- Any student with a TOR or suspension for that grading period may not be allowed to attend a field trip.
- Students should wear their WHAM Field Trip shirts on all field trips or other attire as directed by their teacher.
- All permission forms and money due MUST be turned in at least TWO FULL WEEKS before the trip. The school will not accept forms or money after the set deadline.
- Field trip money is NON-refundable. Expenses have been paid or committed to the vendor, and the school will not be reimbursed.
TELEPHONE USAGE
Parents will be contacted for illnesses or emergencies only. All student requests to use the phone will require a note from the teacher stating the purpose. We do not allow phone calls for forgotten homework, conduct sheets, etc. We also do not take messages for students or allow them to receive phone calls unless it is a legitimate emergency.
We are unable to accept homework submitted by fax or email. Homework brought to school late will be placed in the teacher's mailbox. We will not interrupt instruction to call children to the office for homework. Please make sure students have everything they need before they leave home in the morning.
OUR SCHOOL IS PEANUT/NUT FREE!
To maintain the safest possible environment, we strive to maintain a strict no-peanut/nut policy. We ask that parents/guardians not send any food that
contains peanuts or nuts. Thank you for your understanding and adherence to this policy.
CAFETERIA POLICIES
BREAKFAST
Breakfast is FREE for all students and served from 8:00 to 8:25 a.m. If a child is going to eat breakfast at school, he/she must arrive in a timely manner and go directly to the cafeteria. Students not seated in the classroom by 8:30 a.m. will be marked TARDY, even if the child is in the cafeteria or on campus. (*PLEASE NOTE: If your child arrives on a late bus, they will be offered breakfast.)
CAFETERIA LUNCH
The district is participating in a federal program that provides free nutritious meals for all students regardless of economic need. The U.S. Department of Agriculture program also provides free beverages and other food items for students who bring their lunches to school. The initiative is part of the ongoing national effort to ensure that children have access to healthy meals, as good nutrition helps prepare students to excel in school.
BAG LUNCH
Lunch from home is allowed but MAY NOT INCLUDE soft drinks, gum, candy or candy-type items, commercial meals in original wrapping (ex. Wendy’s or McDonald's), or items that require refrigeration or heating.
- FREE Milk with Bag Lunch: If your child brings lunch, he/she can still receive milk in the lunch line. Your child must choose a fruit and/or vegetable and a roll or other item to receive milk free of charge.
- Please remember we are a PEANUT-FREE campus.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
Students have a fundamental right to free public education. They also have a corresponding responsibility to join with other members at WHAM in respecting the rights and responsibilities of others and in establishing a climate for learning within the school.
It is the professional belief of the staff and administration at WHAM that the rules and regulations expressed in the EBR Parish Discipline Policy, Student’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook will assist in providing a safer, healthier, and happier atmosphere for students to learn. A copy of the handbook will be given at the start of each school year.
Students are expected to behave in an orderly, courteous manner at all times and in all situations. No disruptive acts of any nature will be tolerated under any circumstances.
Levels of Disciplinary Responses - Level 1 Classroom Interventions & Support
Disciplinary options/responses a teacher or employee may use include:
- Nonverbal redirection and/or teacher proximity
- Verbal/individualized redirection or reprimand
- Conduct a teacher-student conference
- Contact parent by email, note, or phone call
- Loss of privileges
- Implementation of the PBIS Classroom Minor Behavior Tracking Form
WHAM PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports)
HABITUDES | PBIS EXPECTATIONS |
Growth Mindset Perseverance Gratitude Mindfulness Creativity Empathy | Be Respectful Be Responsible Be Safe Have a Growth Mindset!! |
EBRPSS INTERNET SAFETY AND USAGE POLICY
Our school expects all students to adhere to the Internet Safety and Usage Policy adopted by the EBRP School System. Please review the policy in its entirety online at www.ebrschools.org. You may also access this information by following the link located on the WHAM website.
IMPROVING READING SKILLS
Research shows that the best way to improve reading skills is to READ. Read to your child, or let your child read to you, for 30 minutes daily. It is imperative that you show your child that reading is important because if a child cannot read, they will have a more challenging time later in life. Read anything: comic books, magazines, chapter books, etc. However, remember to read AR books. (It counts for a grade – see below!)
ACCELERATED READER
The Accelerated Reader (A/R) program increases students’ comprehension and fosters a love for reading. At the same time, it also personalizes reading instruction for students who need extra help. We require a student's commitment to read for 30 minutes nightly. (See our WHAM website for more information.)
How Does AR Work?
1. Student Reads a Book. The student reads a library or textbook selection they have chosen on an appropriate level.
2. Student Takes a Quiz. A/R offers over 75,000 quizzes on library books and popular reading textbook series. The quizzes provide assessment information to help teachers and parents motivate reading, monitor progress, and target instruction to accelerate reading growth.
3. You Get Information. Parents and teachers get easy-to-read reports on the student’s reading level and comprehension skills to guide instruction and help the student select more reading materials. We will also provide student reports with A/R points and average percent correct.
4. Student Earns Points and Rewards.
5. Student Earns Grades. Grades are determined by the student’s performance.
USEFUL AR WEBSITES TO VISIT
∙ www.arbookfind.com – to find AR books of all levels.
∙ https://hosted315.renlearn.com/210980/HomeConnect/ - to view your child’s A/R quiz results
MEASURING OUR STUDENTS’ PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
DISTRICT EXAMS
District exams help schools administer assessments to measure student growth and inform instructional decisions. These computer-generated tests require students in all grades to complete “bubble-in” answer sheets with writing tasks.
The district requires students to complete pre-, mid-year, and post-tests in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
DIBELS
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are short tests designed to measure early literacy development and help identify students who are not progressing as expected. According to BESE policy, all 3rd-grade students who score well below proficiency on the end-of-year screener will be required to attend 30 hours of summer literacy learning, retest and score below proficiency or higher, or they may be retained.
DRA
The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is a standardized reading test used to determine a student's instructional level in reading. The DRA is administered individually to students by teachers and/or reading specialists. Students read a selection (or selections) and then retell what they have read to the examiner. Students in grades K-1 will be administered the DRA twice a year to measure growth and provide reading support.
LEAP 2025
Students in grades 3 through 8 take English Language Arts/literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies assessments. These assessments are aligned with the Louisiana State Standards, developed with significant input from Louisiana educators. Please visit https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/assessment-guidance for more information.
MONTHLY RECOGNITIONS
- Student of the Month Social: A “Student of the Month” is chosen by each teacher based on outstanding citizenship, following the Golden Rule, and overall positive attitude. It is the highest non-academic honor given at WHAM.
- Habitude Heroes Ice Cream Social: We also honor “Most Improved” students with an ice cream social. These are students who have improved in behavior, attitudes, or academics.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
- TWO PROGRAMS PER YEAR: 1st/2nd Nine-Weeks (held in January), 3rd/4th Nine-Weeks (held in May)
- Principal’s List All Year: For students with an “A” in all areas of the report card for all four nine weeks.
- Honor Roll List All Year: For students who do not have a grade lower than a “B” in all areas of the report card for all four nine weeks.
- Hands and Heart Award: For students who have exhibited excellent behavior and consideration of others the entire school year.
- Independent Reader Award: For students who meet the AR Challenge Goal during a Nine-Week grading period.
BIRTHDAY TREATS
For students in Grades 1–5, WHAM does not hold individual classroom birthday celebrations. Instead, each grade level hosts a monthly celebration recognizing all students with birthdays during that month. Birthday treats are provided by a designated classroom parent or approved volunteer, allowing every student to be celebrated while maximizing instructional time and promoting equity. Families are asked not to send birthday treats, balloons, gifts, party favors, or other celebration items for individual birthdays, as these items will not be distributed during the school day.
WHAM PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO)
WHAM is lucky to have an active and involved PTO. WHAM PTO offers opportunities for parents to participate actively in decision-making processes, contribute their skills and talents, and engage with teachers and school administrators.
For more information, please visit the PTO WEBSITE.
PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY
Westdale Heights Academic Magnet (WHAM) recognizes that parents* are their children’s first teachers and function as educators throughout their children’s lives. More than thirty years of research show that academic success and high self-esteem are closely related to parent involvement in pre-kindergarten through high school. Children whose families are involved in their education have higher grades and test scores, better attendance, and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college. The best predictor of a student’s success in school is not income or social status but the extent to which a student’s family participates in their education.
WHAM's administration, faculty, and staff are committed to establishing programs and practices that create a climate of mutual trust and respect and support substantive parent involvement. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System supports having a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) in every school.
At WHAM, we believe educating our children is a shared responsibility. School, family, and community involvement create a more robust educational system. It improves the quality of life for the students, their families, and the entire WHAM community.
To build an effective home-school partnership, WHAM will provide the following:
***Communication – Establish various forms of communication (school to home, home to school, central office to home, and vice versa) that encourage regular discussion about school programs and children’s academic progress and behavioral management.
***Parenting – Provide information that supports families as they create home environments that value education and nurture children’s curiosity for learning.
***Student Learning at Home – Share information with parents about providing learning activities at home, helping students with homework, and planning for school success.
***Volunteering – Encourage and recruit parents’ participation in school activities both in and outside the classroom, developing program ideas that respect the diverse needs of families.
***School Decision & Making and Advocacy – Recruit and develop parents as leaders in school-based decision-making and advocating for students' welfare.
***Collaborating with the Community – Identify, enlist, and welcome community resources–of all types– to strengthen schools, families, and student learning.
WHAM is committed to reaching out to all parents, including those who may not have had a positive experience in school or for whom English is not their first spoken language. Further, the school seeks, encourages, and develops relationships with community agencies and organizations that provide services to children to encourage them to share in this investment in the lives of children.
Title I Parental Involvement Policy (PRE-K ONLY)
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System recognizes that schools that receive funds through the Title I federal program have specific criteria for parental involvement. Provision for substantive parental involvement in these schools is established in the Every Student Succeeds Act. This provision mandates the following components:
Communication
Clear and consistent communication is the foundation of effective parental involvement. Schools must provide Title I information to parents in an understandable, uniform format. Upon request, the information shall be provided in alternative formats, including providing auxiliary aids and giving information in a language that parents can understand.
Program Development
Families will be encouraged to participate actively in Title I program planning, decision-making, and activities. Each Title I school will develop with parents, and update annually, a school-level plan for parent involvement. A written copy will be distributed to parents.
Teacher Certification
In keeping with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act, upon request, schools shall provide parents of children in Title I schools with information about the certification status of their children’s teachers.
Volunteering
Schools shall provide opportunities for parents to utilize their skills within and outside the classroom to nurture their children’s academic success.
Coordination and Support
Program coordination and technical assistance for Title I schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities will be provided through the efforts of the Title I Coordinators and the EBRPSS Office of Federal Programs.
Building Capacity for Parental Involvement
Parents of Title I students will be provided with timely information about the Title I program and parent involvement requirements for schools under the Every Student Succeeds Act, information about curriculum and proficiency levels students are expected to achieve, school and individual assessment information and results, including an explanation of those results, and opportunities for regular meetings related to the education of their children.
Parent Involvement Activities
Parents will be provided with opportunities to work with their children to improve achievement. The types and extent of activities will vary depending on each school and community's assessed needs. At convenient times, each Title I school will hold at least one parent workshop yearly to address topics of interest to parents.
Integration with Other Programs
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Title I Program will coordinate and integrate its parental involvement strategies with those of other local, state, and federal programs, such as the Head Start and Even Start programs, through regularly scheduled meetings. Community groups will be encouraged to help schools develop and implement programs that promote educational goals and support high academic achievement for all students.
Evaluation
Assessing the effectiveness of the parental involvement policy in improving the academic quality of the schools served under Title I will be conducted throughout the year with the involvement of parents. Measures will include Family Night parent evaluations, Attendance at Family Night and other parent involvement activities, and the Annual program evaluation completed during the spring semester of each school year.
Notes:
*The word "parents" is inclusive of adult guardians of children in the school system. In addition, the parental involvement policy underscores the importance of the participation of adult family and community members in students’ lives.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board recognizes that parent and family engagement must be a priority of the School Board for children to learn and achieve academic success. Parents and families provide the primary educational environment for children; consequently, parents are vital and necessary partners with the School Board throughout their children's elementary and secondary school careers. The term parent shall refer to any caregiver who assumes responsibility for nurturing and caring for children, and includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, foster parents, stepparents, and others. The concept of parent and family engagement shall include programs, services, and/or activities on the school site, as well as contributions of parents outside the normal school setting.
It shall be the policy of the School Board and each public school in East Baton Rouge Parish, in meaningful collaboration with parents, teachers, students, administrators, and other educational resources, to establish, develop, and maintain strategies and programs that are intended to enhance the involvement of parents and other caregivers that reflect the needs of students, parents, and families served by the School Board, in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. As part of the parent and family engagement program, it shall be the responsibility of every school to create a welcoming environment, conducive to learning and supportive of comprehensive family involvement programs that have been developed jointly with parents/families.
***These six categories are based on the six types of parent and family involvement as defined by Dr. Joyce Epstein in School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Actions.
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